Broiler chicken price over Tk200 irrational: Consumer rights chief

The price of each unit of broiler chicken can in no way exceed Tk200, but the consumers are being charged up to Tk280 in various markets in the capital, the chief of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection said Wednesday.

AHM Shafiquzzaman made the comments after visiting a kitchen market in the capital's New Market area, adding his team has presented eight proposals before the government to take remedial measures. He expected concerned authorities to take steps to ease consumers' inflation burden.

If there is irregularity in any market, action will be taken against the concerned market management committee, he said. 

Earlier, the consumer rights protection directorate sent a market report to the commerce ministry as well as the ministry of fisheries and livestock claiming industrial-level production cost of each broiler chicken is Tk135-140 and that for marginal farmers is Tk160.

In this regard, the retail price of Tk280 is obviously exorbitant, especially since it was Tk160 only 45-60 days back. TBS visited kitchen markets in Segunbagicha, Shantinagar and Rampura and found shopkeepers asking Tk290 for a broiler chicken. After bargaining, buyers could bring down the price by only Tk10.

"Broiler chicken was our only hope during the previous Ramadans. But now I have to drop it from the shopping list as it has become unaffordable," said a construction worker shopping at the Segunbagicha kitchen market.

Market observers said broiler chicken is an affordable protein source for the general people but within 45-90 days it has gone out of the reach of the average consumer with price soaring nearly Tk120.

Beef had already gone out of reach as prices jumped from Tk675-700 to Tk780-800 in over a month.